


a house greater

by jswoon2



Series: a bear in the bed [3]
Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Historical, Arranged Marriage, Historical Fantasy, M/M, Originally Posted on Tumblr
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-22
Updated: 2019-02-25
Packaged: 2019-11-03 16:20:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Underage
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17881130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jswoon2/pseuds/jswoon2
Summary: King Vladimir Malkin, the Great Brown Bear, the Gallant and Fair, sends his official decree, calling to his people and allies to bring forth all children who bear the gift of magic to his kingdom. The lucky child whose soulbond calls to his heir apparent, will become his son’s betrothed as it is tradition that the consort be of magic because while magic is rare and dangerous, it is thought to be a gift of purity.





	1. To the North

**Author's Note:**

> All currently written parts from tumblr will be cleaned up and reposted here. Please note, it is marked "underaged" for their age gap, not for inappropriate activity.
> 
> Comments and kudos are lovely!

King Vladimir Malkin, the Great Brown Bear, the Gallant and Fair, sends his official decree, calling to his people and allies to bring forth all children who bear the gift of magic to his kingdom. The lucky child whose soulbond calls to his heir apparent, will become his son’s betrothed as it is tradition that the consort be of magic because while magic is rare and dangerous, it is thought to be a gift of purity.

Trina and Troy Crosby are the first to send their son.

They would never be so cruel to tell their son to his face that they fear him, but the whole town of Cole Harbor knows the truth. Sidney Crosby will one day become a powerful magic user. He will be sought out highly by those hoping to buy him for a few gold pieces. Yet, their son has been yet to even be apprenticed at the old age of ten where many have left the safety of their town to take up a trade, for Cole Harbor is poor. Fishing funds their town and the long winters have made their home barren.

Sidney’s magic is both a blessing and a curse.

To his parents, the king’s decree brings a message of hope to the Crosbys.

Within the day of receiving the letter, they send their son away with the rest of the fish the town has to export. This is their last glimmer of hope. Perhaps, their son will be the true soulmate to the heir Denis Malkin, the Gentle, and one day, the king himself will offer them a place in his palace away from their slowly dying town.

Sid is given the last available horse the town has to spare. It’s old, so old that the man gave it to his parents without charge since he didn’t have the heart to put it down himself. Sidney cries with his head down so no one can see the tears streaming down his cheeks, least of all his sister. His parents may think of him a monster but he would hate to see the day that his sister realizes the truth as well.

His magic causes destruction, the way tingles at the tips of his fingers against his will.

Before the king, he’ll be exposed for what he is. If he’s lucky, perhaps he’ll be banished where he can never hurt another person again.

 

*

 

Sergei Gonchar is something like a chaperone to the Malkin princes. While technically trained in combat, it’s not his primary place to fight to defend them. His training is for emergencies and luckily, in a time of peace, he hasn’t found a need to exercise that training in front of the boys. Gonch is a mentor with his days serving the front lines long behind him.

Unfortunately, this also means the days of action and excitement are few. The king trusts him with his sons so much of his time is spent hovering over them from a distance. Other times he’s called to the gate for official business, which then he realizes babysitting isn’t that bad.

Carefully, he inspects the written decree Sidney arrived with. The seal is genuine but Gonch must inspect it anyway to make sure. Pleased enough, Gonch puts his hand on Sid’s shoulder and says, “Welcome home.”

 _Home_ makes Sidney frown. Home sent him here where he’ll have just enough time – perhaps not enough – to prove that he’s worthy of someone as great as a prince to choose him of all the young magical users.

Sid is skeptical how a soulbond can bind him to a person he’s never met before.

“Ilya will assist you in filling out your registration forms,” Gonch explains. Sid thinks it would do Gonchar well to smile more. “Can you read, boy?”

Already Sid feels as if his time is up here. “No,” he admits in a small voice. “I can read my name, though, and write it, too.”

Gonch nods in silence. Sid can’t tell if the man is judging him or not. “Ilya will take care of you,” he replies, passing off Sid. He keeps Sid’s invitation to the castle.

“Come now,” Ilya says, giving Sid a once over. It rained a day ago, muddying up Sid’s best clothes. “Registering will only take a few minutes. After, I will take you to your quarters. Luckily, a few children arrived yesterday so you won’t be alone. You’ve come a long way from home so I imagine the lot of you will enjoy the company.”

Sidney remains silent. The other children from his town were often scared of him, too. A cruel boy named Jack lied to Sid’s parents, told them that Sidney turned him into a pig. Sid only gave him a pig’s nose and tail. It was only and accident and by the time his parents were done reprimanding him, his hands were shaking and Jack truly transformed into the animal that he was. Sid got into twice the amount of trouble.

Neither one of their parents asked Sid for his side of the story.

“If you can’t read, I suppose that means you can’t write either,” Ilya assumes as politely as he can. “The more easily you cooperate, the faster we’ll be finished here.”

Ilya asks a series of questions, all of which Sid rehearsed on his ten-day trek to the North.

His name is Sidney Crosby, son of Troy and Trina née Forbes Crosby. He has a sister six years younger than him named Taylor. They live in the small town of Cole Harbor. His mother is a school teacher and his father is a fisherman. He is promised apprenticeship to no one and his hand has not been offered. His magic manifested when he was seven. Now, he’s eleven, soon to be twelve.

Often, he doesn’t have control over his magic. The more intense his emotions are, the stronger the magic then becomes. He’s been taught no spells but has performed advanced magic, such as transfiguration, without them.

As his last question, Ilya asks Sid if he’s ever felt a pull towards dark magic.

Sid tells him no. He pretends that he imagined the fear behind the man’s question.

 

*

 

The other children are from the Northern Kingdom. Be it their clothes or the way they talk, Sid can tell that he’s only different one here.

Immediately Sid sees that they’re dressed much warmer than he. Their trunks are larger and on their beds, are gifts to give to the prince. Sid’s parents had also given him a gift, a large salmon his father caught with his own, but Sidney had gotten hungry on day three where he was deep in the woods. There was no time to go back into the nearest town for dinner even if he had the money to do so, and Sid couldn’t possibly compete with the animals in the wood for game.

His trip was lengthened by poor weather and navigation. Sid had to stop several times throughout the journey to ask for directions. Only one man was kind enough to draw a crude map of the land pointing him straight to the Northern Kingdom. Sid would make the journey in good enough time but the salmon wouldn’t. His parents told him to use his magic to preserve the food.

Sid couldn’t find the words to tell them he didn’t know how.

The salmon was delicious. The prince would have been proud of his dad’s hard work.

“How far south did you come from?” one of the children ask. She’s taller than Sid so has to look up to her. Her eyes are a stormy gray but when their eyes meet, they change to brown.

“Very far,” he says.

A boy even smaller than Sid approaches curiously. He takes one sniff of the air and grimaces. “You smell,” he says, not to be mean in the way Sid has heard before, but Sid can only imagine what the stench of travel is like. His sense of smell has always been quite dull.

“Lacey,” the girl admonishes. “I must apologize, my brother forgets we must be kind and courteous.” Roughly, she pulls her brother to stand beside her. She nods; he bows and she curtsies. They look well-rehearsed. “One of us is going to marry a prince.”

At her proclamation, the other three children erupt in protest. Three girls and now three boys with Sidney included will be contenders for the prince’s hand. However, Sid stays out of their argument and nobody mentions him. It’s clear they don’t see Sid as competition.

 

*

 

Prince Denis is eighteen and his younger brother is seventeen. Typically, the royal family will begin their search for the heir’s soulbond at sixteen but then the queen fell fatally ill and the king had not the heart to continue tradition in her absence. It was clear there wasn’t enough time to find the prince a mate to marry before the queen had passed.

The kingdom became vulnerable and all the registered magic users were summoned to protect the castle.

A war broke out that left the king blinded and the prince’s arrangements were postponed another year.

Sid is sure, once the prince is married, his consort will be the envy of the land. The prince is tall and broad with heavy lidded eyes and a pleasant smile. Around his shoulders is a fine cloak kept together by their family crest. The young man speaks slowly but Sid imagines what he says is important. He’s a prince and he appears regal in every sense of the word.

Gonchar and a large bear walk beside him always one protective step behind. Sid is so busy looking at the prince that he misses the cloak Gonchar is holding himself.

“The prince is almost here,” Katya, the oldest of the girls currently, says eagerly.

Sid smiles dazedly. “He’s handsome,”

“How can you tell?” Lacey asks, ignoring the sound of disbelief from his sister. “He’s just a bear.”

Sidney’s smile fades. The bear transforms, naked and proud, with Gonchar waiting with the cloak positioned around the formation of his shoulders.  _Oh_ , Sid thinks, he’s _the eldest prince_.

 

*

 

Each child is allotted a fortnight to test their soulbond.

Sidney participates because that’s what he came here to do but he’d much rather spend his time with Prince Evgeni. He thought after a week of daydreaming through magic and reading lessons that Ilya would send Sidney home early but he doesn’t. Gonchar doesn’t stop him, either, from running around with the second prince.

Prince Evgeni is sweet.

He walks with Sidney through the garden when Denis starts to skip out on their arranged dates, always with a sweet treat he stole from the kitchens in hand. Evgeni asks about Sidney’s lessons and if he likes living in a castle. He makes Sid’s tea much too sweet even though Sidney should be the one offering. The castle isn’t his home but he’s the one meaning to win over the prince – the  _other_  prince – so it’s quite odd that Evgeni is so kind to him.

“Sid much too skinny,” Evgeni had chided, displeased. He’s made it his mission to fatten Sidney up since.

Sidney likes the cakes the most.

Still, he protests. “I can’t possibly eat any more,” he says, although his actions betray him. He’s already bringing another slice of buttered bread to his lips.

Evgeni chuckles. Unlike the other boys and girls, he doesn’t look disgusted while Sidney stuffs himself until he’s content.

Sometimes, Evgeni will read to him. The queen wrote down all the bedtime stories she would tell her children as did her mother and her grandfather before her. “Traditions important,” Evgeni told Sidney solemnly. The book has been rebound several times, this time with a portrait of the queen on the cover.

“She looks beautiful,” Sidney tells Evgeni, his hands folded in his lap.

Evgeni smiles. “She was.” Then, he begins to read.

 

*

 

Denis is somewhat unimpressed with Sidney’s flower. He conjured it using magic spell from one of Ilya’s books. It took several times to get it right. One had too many thorns, another not enough petals or not enough color to show just how beautiful the flower deserves to be.

The other children were quite impressed. They could barely conjure more than a weed and yet Sidney had grown a bouquet’s worth.

“This is for me?” the prince asks looking unsure. Sid looks down at his shoes. Ilya taught him a spell to clean them but he’s quite clumsy. They’re dirty again. “Well, I certainly hope that you intend on doing more for my brother. He’ll be disappointed with only a single rose.”

Sid’s head shoots up. “Excuse me?”

“Yes, well, Evgeni is determined to court you before Father finds out. Father may rule by the order of the generations before him but he’d never go against love. Not after Mother. He’d rather have his throne taken from him than betray Mother’s dying wish,” Denis says. Cruelly, he plucks each petal from the rose one by one just as he did the others the children brought to him. He appears to be bored.

Denis sighs, rising from his chair. He’s tall like Prince Evgeni but he doesn’t hold himself the same. His shoulders slouch as if he doesn’t care if Sid is impressed by him.

“I will be marrying for love, not magic, and Father will realize this soon enough,” Denis continues. “It may be helpful to know that Evgeni prefers daisies. The red kind. Ilya can teach you.”

Without the permission of Gonchar or Ilya, Denis leaves.

“The boy can at least pretend,” Gonchar grumbles. Ilya chuckles into his fist.

“He’s just like his father,” Ilya comments, “stubborn, the lot of them.”

Gonchar barks out a dry laugh.

Sid feels like he’s missing something.

 

*

 

Evgeni orders Gonchar and Ilya to go fetch him a vase for the daisies. Sid questions why both of them need to go and again when the grown men listen. It’s a bit scandalous to be with the prince by himself. Lacey would say that the princes can't be alone with any of the children for reasons of honor. It would be shameful for a child to be deflowered and even worse if the prince did so out of wedlock.

“They’re lovely,” Evgeni admits. Carefully, he extends his hand to brush back one of Sidney’s wild curls. Sid leans into the touch for the briefest of seconds for the prince to pull away as if he’d been burned. “Lovely,” he repeats. The prince sounds sad.

 

*

 

Sidney collects his things at the end of the fortnight. The other five children he became friends with have went home and three more are waiting for their turns to meet Prince Denis. The prince keeps saying he’s chosen who he wishes to marry but no engagement has been announced. Denis has been nothing but kind – although distant – to Sidney so it’s a shame to go. Even still, he wishes the prince the best.

He sits on his bed, expecting Ilya to come gather him to escort him out but he never comes. After waiting a resigned half hour, Gonchar finds him.

“What are you doing here?” he asks.

Sid feels confused. Was he supposed to leave on his own?

“The prince has been waiting for you,” Gonchar continues. He shakes his head. “No matter, you’ll just have to see the prince later. He’s gone to his lessons.”

“Why does the prince want to see me?” Sid asks. He doesn’t understand.

“You’ve accepted Prince Evgeni’s offer to court you, have you not?”

Sid really doesn’t understand.

 

*

 

Prince Denis plans to abdicate his right to the throne. He’s long decided this without his father’s permission. He allowed his father to send the royal decree first in hopes of his brother finding love that way he knows he can relinquish his inheritance knowing that the Malkin dynasty can continue.

“When you turn sixteen, we’ll get married and one day,” Evgeni says, “when my father gives up the throne, it’ll be ours.”

Sidney blushes, ducking his chin.

He’s going to marry a prince.


	2. Early Learning & Flares of Courting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally I posted a Part 2 and a Part 2.5, but I've combined them here. They didn't seem long enough to post them separately.

The first time Evgeni kisses Sidney, it’s on Sid’s fourteenth birthday. It’s chaste, nothing much more than how a mother would kiss her child. Really, Evgeni meant to kiss Sid’s cheek, but Sid moved not knowing, and next thing he knew, the prince’s lips were on his. The next five seconds becomes the longest five seconds of his entire life.

Sidney’s face turns so red Evgeni calls him a tomato.

All around them daisies bloom. Magic sparks at the tips of Sid’s fingers, tingling until he balls his hands into fists.

Evgeni smiles, stroking Sidney’s cheek. His last birthday gift to Sidney is a daisy, plucked right from the path beneath their feet. Sid’s hands were too busy fisted in Evgeni’s silk shirt that the young man tucked it behind his betrothed’s ear.

“Lovely,” the man compliments.

Sid’s face gets hotter.

 

*

 

Ilya’s lessons become even more important.

He teaches Sid proper etiquette fit for a prince as well as general lessons on how to read and write. After some convincing, Gonchar takes over teaching Sid magic lessons. It’s strange because Gonch isn’t a magic user like Sid or Ilya but neither Ilya or Gonch give much of a protest. Since coming to the north, Gonchar has become an extra comforting presence. It’s a bit of an excuse to spend more time with the guard, however, the princes are old enough now that they don’t need Gonch lingering over their shoulders.

After every lesson he tells Evgeni what he learned.

“I can conjure objects now,” Sidney tells Evgeni proudly.

As a good husband-to-be, Evgeni in his bear form sits patiently on the cold snow as Sid demonstrates all the things he’s learned this week with Gonch.

A handy thing Ilya taught Sidney before he was handed over to Gonch was temperature control using magic. Ilya has never known any other place but the north and yet he hates it.

“All the snow and the cloudy days,” Ilya had told Sid, “it’s not for me. I found in one of the old texts a spell that can be used for body temperature. You’ll find good use of it until you get accustomed to the cold winters here.”

Sid uses it frequently. Perhaps, a bit too much. He’s become used to the feeling of his betrothed’s warmth so much, he can’t stop. The finest layer of snow melts underneath his feet as he walks.

Cupping his hands together, he pictures the warmth of his magic flowing through his body. When he opens them, a bright blue butterfly is sitting on his palm, fluttering its wings. Small things, Sid can bring to life. One day, Gonchar predicts Sid will be able to do much more with all of his magic manifested inside him.

Evgeni claps, his big bear body rocking in excitement. Sometimes, Sid has notices, Evgeni gets like this in his other form. He’s usually quite graceful but he gets quite clumsy too sometimes. Sid hasn’t figured it out yet.

“I can do more,” Sid adds quickly once the butterfly has flown away. Unfortunately, it won’t live long in the winter. Gonch has already warned him of that much and yet, Sid wants an army’s worth that can live in his ever-growing garden.

Eagerly, Sid kneels in front of Evgeni, taking the man’s paws to place them the way he needs them, palms facing up. Similar to before, he imagines the object before him and thinks of the magic words. He’s not very good at spells, although Gonchar doesn’t seem to believe that Sidney needs them like Ilya does. Having the words on the tip of his tongue makes him feel more confident, especially performing magic for someone else.

And slowly, the trout grows underneath his hands until the length of the fish barely fits across Evgeni’s paws.

Evgeni snorts.

“But bears like fish!” Sid says, defensively, although he breaks out into laughs as soon as Evgeni pushes him over with a firm headbutt.

Evgeni makes another chuffing noise, then with a best kind of pout a bear can muster, bites into the meat of the fish.

“See, I knew bears like fish,” he teases.

Evgeni doesn’t bother to get up, just turns around to continue eating his fish. He pushes Sid over two more times until deciding to pin him down as his magical mate continues to tease him, cooing and petting his ears so good that his tail twitches.

 

*

 

Gonchar walks Sidney through the steps of transfiguration and the first thing that Sid turns into is a penguin.

The man laughs so hard he doubles over. Sid pecks at the man’s ankles because he might be two feet tall but he’s still has a hard beak.

“Sorry, sorry, Sid,” he says through laughter. “I just – a penguin. The prince will enjoy this. Ilya and I imagined what great animal you would be but I understand this. You make such a cute little penguin.”

Sid makes an indignant squawk, flapping his wings. He manages to get Gonchar one good time on the cheek.

“Is okay, Sid. Ilya can teach you how to take on other forms,” Gonchar says once he’s recovered.

Sid squawks again. He’s probably the smallest emperor penguin ever.

As if knowing what Sidney is thinking, Gonchar adds, “Maybe you have time to grow.” Sid misses when he starts to attack the man’s ankles a second time. He’s not short. Everyone in the Malkin household is just huge. It’s not really fair.

(Ilya teaches Sid how to turn Gonchar into a pelican a week later.)

 

* * *

* * *

 

 

Evgeni has a bit of a flare for dramatics on his personal quest to properly woo his betrothed.

He has to start off slow. He doesn’t want to scare Sidney off but he wants to give the boy what he deserves. The boy never intended for this to happen. He didn’t come to the kingdom expecting to be the future king’s consort. Sid barely even noticed Denis wasn’t interested in Sidney and Evgeni was until the boy was nearly running out the castle doors.

Sweet cakes and pretty flowers are what Evgeni showers Sidney with first. Sidney makes the cutest little sounds when presented his favorite desserts and the castle’s gardens have been taken over by Sidney. Evgeni has learned from observation the things that Sid likes best. The local bakery and the royal chef has had their hands full with all the orders of bread and cake Evgeni has put in. Whenever Sid is happiest, the garden is near overflowing with greenery.

Other gifts, such as gems, turn out to be somewhat dull compared to Sidney’s eyes.

Evgeni’s favorite necklace – a gift from his mother – is such a pretty shade of green reminiscent of the flecks in Sidney’s hazel eyes. On one of their lunch dates, he takes it off and drapes it on his betrothed. Sid doesn’t know where the necklace is from, doesn’t understand its exact importance, but he senses it. He insists Evgeni take the gift back but Evgeni likes the way it’s complimentary to his mate.

His mother was the queen. Evgeni has plenty of other lovely trinkets from her. This is just one of many.

His father and Denis give Evgeni a knowing look. Neither one of them say a thing. They all know that Denis will be the same with his engaged once they get there. All Malkin men are like that.

They go on walks together all the time. Sid feels bad for stealing Evgeni away from his princely duties but really, he’s grateful to be just a prince because if he was king, he wouldn’t get away from skipping out on Ilya’s lessons with just a stern talking to. No, he’s just happy to be young and in love.

In his bear form, he does everything he can to hear Sidney laugh freely. Evgeni adores that laugh, how big and loud it is. He hates when Sid tries to suppress it or cover it up. It’s the cutest laugh Evgeni has ever heard even if Denis points out that it sounds strangely similar to a goose mating. That’s Sid’s goose laugh and Evgeni loves it.

As a bear, however, he can’t talk. Not that he minds. It gives Sidney all the time in the world to tell Evgeni about his day, how his lessons are going, the little things that tell Evgeni that Sid is beginning to think of the north as his home. Sid rarely mentions his parents but sometimes he tells old stories about his sister and how he would use his magic to entertain her.

Growing up a prince is hard. Watching his young fiancé grow up is twice that. At age twelve, Sid was chubby cheeked and innocent. Nothing Evgeni, as a teenager, would have considered as his future spouse. Only now, Sidney is losing that baby fat and is growing into a young man himself. His lips are becoming full and kissable and his curls grown out are just long enough for Evgeni to run his fingers through. It’s startling to Evgeni’s hormones to be attracted to this boy who fate determined was his.

So sometimes, Evgeni allows him short moments of kisses hidden from the eyes of Gonch or Ilya – and especially his brother – and occasionally his eyes will wander. But he always keeps his hands to himself or otherwise entwined with his betrothed’s to remind himself of his young partner’s purity. He deserves it, what with how he’s caught Sidney looking him up and down not so subtly.

His conflict, is mostly a challenge he deals with himself. Denis is aware of Evgeni's inner struggle. Evgeni wants, and as a prince, Denis doesn't understand why Evgeni won't allow himself to have. He'll come around one day, Denis is sure. Sidney certainly seems more settled into his place.

Evgeni realizes months after having already put his claim on Sid that he’s truly gone when a visiting prince comes to stay with them for three days.

The prince comes from a visiting kingdom – very small but very powerful – with all its inhabitants being magic users or sparks. Some only have familiars, others can utilize alchemy. Their world is just like Evgeni’s, only they’re magic users instead of shapeshifters.

Unfortunately, despite coming from a kingdom forged from magic, this prince has to be entranced by Evgeni’s future consort.

Evgeni’s position feels somewhat threatened until he very blatantly and rudely interrupts the prince speaking to Sidney. The boy automatically fits himself right underneath Evgeni’s arm and informs the intruding prince that the north suits him better than any fantasy land.

The king asks the visiting prince and his company to leave a day early for upsetting his son and his future consort.

Evgeni’s first victory as a prince feels sweet.


	3. A Great Restraint

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Caution: Solo masturbation scene (Participant is 16) & kissing between characters ages 16 and 21.

Sometimes Sid has fantasies about his betrothed. He’s sixteen, about to be married, and his husband is making things hard for Sid. Evgeni is always so soft and careful touching Sid. It drives Sidney mad.

While taking a bath, Sid gets one slick hand around his cock while the other experimentally grazes along the rest of his body. His hand isn’t small but it’s hard to imagine that it’s Evgeni touching him, even with his eyes closed. Everything about Evgeni is large, be it the length of his body or the size of his hand. Evgeni is always mindful of his size, especially as a bear. He startles whenever Sid gets too close.

If Evgeni is going to be Sidney’s husband, he needs to learn that Sid isn’t fragile. He doesn’t have to be careful.

Sid certainly isn’t careful or very patient by himself. He gets off, quick and efficiently, thinking about Evgeni and how the prince would look if he finally gave Sid what he wanted. Surely, Evgeni would be just as attentive in bed as he is elsewhere. He already knows Evgeni is somewhat addicted to kissing. It’s all Evgeni allows typically. Gently, he’ll take Sid’s hands into his own. Sid figured that this was the prince’s soft side coming out but quickly he found that it was Evgeni’s way of keeping things from becoming too heated.

His betrothed is irresistible yet he refuses to indulge Sid too much.

The prince also doesn’t try to keep his romantic streak a secret at all, Sid finds out. He prefers to be bold about it.

“What is this?” Sid asks later once he’s thoroughly washed his hands. He’s not quite sure if he’d be able look into the king’s eye and shake his hand knowing he recently jerked off thinking about his son not even an hour earlier.

Evgeni smiles, one arm draped on the back of Sid’s chair. “Cheesecake, best dessert.”

Sid hesitates but puts a small piece of cake onto his fork anyway. His fiancé is looking at him expectantly, and Sid is prepared to pretend to like it – most fancy desserts Sid has found he doesn’t care for – but the cheesecake is fantastic. He moans the moment the taste hits his tongue, not faking appreciation for how thick and creamy the cake tastes in his mouth.

“You like?” Evgeni asks.

Later, once they’re out of the watchful eye of the king, Sidney gives his prince a shy kiss as another thank you. He decides one kiss isn’t enough and much to Sid’s liking, allows another.

“I have cook make cheesecake every day then,” Evgeni says, pleased, “just for you.”

“You don’t have to,” Sid replies modestly.

Evgeni shakes his head. “I want.”

 

*

 

The gift giving becomes similar to a competition. With Sid using his magic and Evgeni using whatever power he can as a prince to have Sidney’s favorite things be delivered to him throughout the day. It starts with being brought breakfast in bed to little trinkets Sid likes to play with in between lessons. The best surprises, however, are when Evgeni takes extra time to spend with Sidney. Gonch complains but the king objects that love is love and if his son wants to kindle his love with his to-be consort, it’s what he should do.

The stronger the bond, the stronger the magic.

And Sid does get stronger. After Evgeni injures his hand while hunting, Sid places a protective ward over it. He hasn’t quite gotten the hang of spelling wards over a whole person – let alone someone the prince’s size. Evgeni doesn’t notice either until Denis mistakenly spills hot tea onto his brother. His wrist throbs and his sleeve stains but his hand remains untouched.

Ilya gives Sid a talking to about spelling someone without their permission but Sid thinks his prince is proud of him. That he’s glad that Sid is just as protective of him as it is the other way around.

Evgeni likes when Sidney uses his magic to spread glittery sparks into the air best. Sid isn’t sure what it the sparks are made of but Ilya reassures them that it’s harmless the one time he walks in on Sid and the prince sitting in the gardens one night with the sky lit up in flashes. It’s apparently good to burn off the excess magic building up inside. Sid has what seems like never ending energy to convert into magic.

“You try?” Evgeni asks one night they’ve sneaked off together.

The prince likes his tea immensely sweet with honey and sugar – sometimes with a little spoonful of jam. It makes Evgeni beam with pride whenever Sid tries one of his concoctions.

Sidney accepts the cup warily, feeling the ceramic warm his hands. Today Evgeni pulled Sid into the woods far away on off trail path where Gonchar and Ilya can’t find them. It’s just them to have a private moment, curled on a blanket on top the snow, the sun setting in the distance.

The tea isn’t bad but the nose twitch Sidney has must give him away.

“More for me then,” Evgeni notes gleefully. He noses at Sidney’s temple, leaving a quick kiss behind before slipping the cup from Sid’s hands.

Their little date in the forest turns into Sidney and Evgeni alternating feeding each other desserts Evgeni sneaked out from the kitchens. Sidney tries to conjure more with magic but apparently knowing all the ingredients is important because the cookies taste bland and he can’t even bring himself to finish the cheesecake.

Neither Gonchar or Ilya appear to put an end to their date. Instead, the sun decides that for them. Sid shivers from the cold, prepared to spell the chill away but Evgeni is already wrapping him in the blanket they were sitting on. It’s a bit damp from the snow but his prince means well so he smiles. What he doesn’t expect is for his prince to begin unbuttoning his coat in the middle of the forest.

Then his shirt, followed by his pants.

Perhaps a bit dramatically, Sid eyes his betrothed’s chest in slight awe. As the pants begin to come off, he looks away, only holding out his hands as instructed as the rest of the warm clothes are given to him. A wet nose nudges his arm Sid looks back to see that Evgeni is a bear.

Sid blushes at the chivalry and allows his fiancé to escort him back to the castle.

Evgeni nips at the picnic basket until Sid finally puts it on his back. He doesn’t even notice that Sid levitates it the entire time using his magic.

 

*

 

Evgeni bakes Sid something called a pirozhki and instead of taking another off the cooling rack for himself, he leans into Sid’s space and takes his breath away with a long kiss.

“Tastes good,” the prince determines, licking his bottom lip casually, as if his tongue wasn’t just in Sid’s mouth.

“Yes,” Sid replies dazedly.

His prince is going to kill him. He might just die before their wedding night.

 

*

 

Gentlemanly is the only word Sid can remember as Evgeni rolls on top of Sidney, ruining their snow angels just so they can kiss again and again. The prince holds his hand, their fingers tangled together pressed into the ground on either side of Sid’s head. With admirable strength, Evgeni holds himself up as to not crush Sid under his weight.

He likes when they do this. Everything remains above the waist, as frustrating as it is, with the occasional subtle grinding Sid can sneak in. He’s come to realize – with some help from Denis, not that Sid would ever admit he’s that oblivious – that Prince Evgeni is quite gone on him. He’s starting to realize he has a bit of power in batting his eyelashes or curling his palm on the center of the man’s chest while requesting something.

Now this, with the prince holding him close, he can’t help but ask his prince for more.

The man growls sounding animal like but Sid only bares his throat, hitches his thighs farther up the prince’s torso to keep their bodies close together.

Sid honestly isn’t sure what he’s asking for more of. He just wants this man.

After another half hour of kissing and rubbing bodies together until they’re both sore and embarrassingly wet in their breeches, Sid learns what a hickey is. They’re pretty great.


	4. Two Become One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Caution: M rated sex. 
> 
> Sid technically would be 16 following my own canon, but his age is never specified so he can easily be whatever age you imagine. 
> 
> The weirwood tree is taken from GOT.

The king blesses their marriage underneath a beautiful arch lined with flowers and mistletoe at the center. Then a priest tells them to kiss and finally, after years, it’s official. Sidney is finally married to his prince.

There hasn’t been a feast this big since when he and Evgeni got engaged.

Much of the reception is a blur. He and Evgeni have to greet their guests and thank them for attending. Luckily, all they have to do is sit at the head table and look pretty when a line forms to give the happy couple their individual congratulations. They get to open some presents, the big ones from neighboring royalty. There must be hundreds of wedding guests but only some stay around to watch.

The pair of eggs Sid receives – for Sidney specifically, not Evgeni – are large and shiny. Its outer shell is surprisingly scaly instead of smooth. He’s not really sure what to do with them so he thanks the prince for the gift and sets them aside.

Unlike the rest of the gifts, Gonchar takes them away to put into the safe. Strange.

“We dance now,” Evgeni tells him, holding out a hand for Sid to take.

Looking up at his prince, Sid smiles. He takes the hand offered to him and they take the floor first. They dance slowly and when Sid feels like he can’t hold in the tears anymore, he presses his face close to his husband’s chest. The arm around his waist tightens.

It feels like it’s just the two of them in the great hall.

 

*

 

Evgeni doesn’t feel prepared to consummate their marriage. He wants to, no doubt. He’s probably been lusting after his husband for longer than appropriate given their age difference. But now that the time is here, he can’t help but hear Denis’s advice ringing in his ear.

_ “It’s his first time, Zhenya. You have to take things slow. Open him up, get him ready to the point where he’s begging, and then finally give him what he wants. You’re a big guy, Zhenya, you don’t want to hurt him.” _

Denis knows much more about sex than Evgeni does so he tries to follow his brother’s advice.

He lays Sid out on their marriage bed, kissing Sid like they’ve kissed hundreds of times before. Sid seems to like best when Evgeni whispers the Old Tongue to him. The cutest goosebumps cover his arms and Zhenya naturally warms them away. Sid giggles at its absurdity while Evgeni takes comfort in knowing that his husband isn’t afraid of him. Not at all like Denis implied.

“Zhenya?” Sid says in a small, questioning voice, stroking his husband’s cheek as he examines the man’s distant expression. “What’re you thinking about?”

Evgeni presses kisses all along the curve of Sid’s jawline. “I think of how much I love you.”

Sid grins then unabashedly says, “Then make love to me.”

Clumsily, they try to take each other’s clothes off but Sid gets Evgeni’s boutonniere stuck in the prince’s hair and Evgeni can’t manage to get Sid’s pants off without Sidney needing to help him. So, undressing becomes less of a romantic gesture and more of a show. Zhenya has his fingers fumbling over a button as Sid lets his pants drop to the floor.

Much of his worries disappear the more Evgeni realizes that it doesn’t have to be perfect. That this is just one of many nights that he and Sid will be spending together. They have all the time in the world to figure things out.

Sid likes when Evgeni holds him close that the prince’s body is blanketing his consort. He responds eagerly to the slightest touch, whining and hiding his face in the crook of his arm to prevent Evgeni from seeing. Despite that, he’s surprisingly vocal. Evgeni does everything he can to continue coaxing those moans out from his husband.

After that Evgeni holds Sid’s hands high above his head, pressed softly into their feather mattress, so he can’t hide anymore and looks down at his husband as he moans in delight.

For a moment he believes that he’s hurting Sid. However, when he tries to pull away, Sid holds him so much tighter, his legs wrapped around Evgeni’s torso. He thinks there must be magic in the air acting on him like the strongest aphrodisiac.

Embarrassingly, Evgeni comes first but Sid isn’t nearly ready to let Zhenya go yet. He climbs on top of his husband and rides Evgeni to completion.

Cuddling is an easy task and Sid fits so perfectly into his arms. And Sid, Zhenya is learning, is a wicked thing. He climbs off their bed with Evgeni’s seed dripping between his legs, retrieves chocolates brought from a neighboring land, and invites Zhenya to eat it off of him.

“Dessert,” Sid says, feigning innocence.

Of course, Zhenya complies.

 

*

 

In the morning Sid is his usual self. Absolutely glowing in the morning sunlight, tucked away in Evgeni’s bed – their bed now – safe where he belongs. Evgeni can still see the markings from their lovemaking the night before. They had gone on nearly to exhaustion until Sid finally succumbed to sleep and Evgeni followed in example.

Sid flushes the prettiest color of red when he comes to remember their wedding night. He attempts to hide away but his husband won’t have it. Evgeni rolls on top of his husband, mocking the position they had taken before the first time he took Sidney. Surely nobody thought the prince’s consort would be so salacious.

“How do you feel?” Evgeni asks. He, for one, is quite sore. He’s been trained to ride horses for quite some time but he hadn’t been prepared for such activities in bed before.

Carefully, Sid kisses a mark he left on Evgeni before to keep from crying out. Evgeni thinks he’ll wear it like pride. “Good,” Sid settles for, hands stroking up and down Evgeni’s chest. His expression changes slightly as he pushes himself up onto his elbows. “You’re much bigger than I imagined,” he continues. Evgeni gulps. “Perhaps, you will remind me again how big it is? As to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.”

Evgeni feels his cock twitch in interest.

They don’t end up leaving the bed until an hour later.

The prince feels bad for the one who has to clean their sheets.

 

*

 

Despite their marriage, Sid and Evgeni continue with small courting gifts. Perhaps it’s a bit too overly romantic but Sid thinks he’ll miss their little dates and walks through the woods together if they were to suddenly just disappear.

One day his prince will be the king and then he’ll understand that Evgeni has a duty to fulfill but Sid wants to treasure this time now. The honeymoon phase Ilya calls it affectionately when he catches Sid clinging a bit more to Evgeni as they have to part ways for afternoon lessons. It elicits teasing from the friends he’s made in the castle.

Sasha the most of all.

In exchange for embarrassing stories and old paintings of a young Evgeni barely able to sit still for a portrait, Sid listens to Sasha go on and on about a low lord Sasha is just simply in love with.

“He was at the wedding wearing the finest clothes I’ve ever seen,” Sasha says, fixing Sid a sandwich. “He’s so gorgeous and kind. He even thanked me when I served him wine!”

“Did you ask for his name?” Sid asks to be kind. The closer Evgeni’s coronation to be king approaches, the more lessons on Ilya’s who’s who of royalty becomes more important. Unfortunately, Sid has been unable to memorize them all just yet.

Sasha adds perhaps a bit too much jelly in as he dazes off to picture his lord. “No, but I heard from a serving boy his name is Nicklas. It sounds so regal.”

“Nicklas,” Sid repeats thoughtfully. “It sounds southern.”

In the midst of Sid’s attempt to recall a Nicklas, Evgeni walks into the kitchen, yawning accompanied by tired bags underneath his eyes. The natural pull of gravity seems to lead Evgeni to Sid’s side. He wraps his arms around his husband’s waist, unable to keep his hands in an appropriate place as they wander down to Sid’s ass.

Sid suppresses a groan. His husband really has no idea what he does to him.

“Long afternoon?” he asks, leaning up to kiss Evgeni’s pouty lips. That garners a sweet smile that sends Sid’s heart pounding.

Sasha throws his hands up in exasperation. “I forget you two are like this.” He pretends to make a face when one kiss between Sid and Evgeni become two. Loudly, he stomps to the door to make his friend aware of his departure before dramatically exiting.

“Perhaps a nap is in order?” he suggests to his prince.

Evgeni nods in agreement.

With Evgeni in his bear form and Sid with a blanket and a veil of magic around them, they sleep outside in the woods underneath the tree where they had their first kiss.


	5. The Arrangement

Seventeen year old Zhenya has no interest in marriage. He has no interest in one day becoming king, but now he knows that it’s inevitable.

“Can’t you reconsider?” he pleads to his brother, Denis.

Denis is the firstborn.  _ He _ should be king, but he wants to marry a commoner, a daughter of a blacksmith. They’ve been quite quiet going about their affair thus far, but it must be a phase. Denis cannot be giving up his throne for a girl.

“I don’t want to rule,” Denis says. He stirs jelly into his tea and blows on it, the steam flowing away in the wind. “If you’d do me the honor, I would gladly stay by your side after abdicating. Of course, I expect that you’ll name Seryozha your advisor. He may be insulted otherwise.”

“I have no interest in marriage,” Zhenya mutters.

Denis rolls his eyes. “Yes, well, we can’t always be at war, Zhenya. Embrace this time of peace. The soulbond will guide you.”

“To a child!” the prince protests.

“You’ll have years before Father will allow you to marry. Besides, has Ilyusha taught you nothing? The bond is much more that a primitive feeling.” Denis sips his tea delicately. He looks around for one of the serving girls he sent to fetch pastries. She hasn’t returned yet and it’s really a beautiful day, he’d hate to go search for her.

“When did you become sentimental?” Zhenya asks.

Denis smiles. “Love changes you.”

 

*

 

A child from the south arrives early, but Seryozha keeps the child sequestered away from Denis and Zhenya. Gradually, more applicants arrive, some already registered users of magic, others too young to have been noted on the census. Usually, there is no reason to register children, not until they come of age. Their magic can be useful in war, but his father is too soft a man to send a child to war.

Zhenya can admit he’s curious. He has no intent on becoming attached to any of the children. He’ll meet them along with his brother then go about his own business elsewhere. At the end of the season when winter returns, he’ll have Denis send all the children home.

If his brother truly means to give up the throne, Zhenya will rule alone.

The children have all been bathed and clothed in their best. There is one boy in particular, one who keeps his eyes wide in fascination in the presence of Denis. He’s dressed in thin clothes, looking as though he’s wearing several layers to keep warm. When Zhenya looks at him, the child turns red and looks away.

Zhenya feels his fingers twitch. He balls them into fists and crosses his arms.

 

*

 

When Denis meets with the children individually, Zhenya often accompanies him. It’s a reluctant task. Sometimes, they watch over the children together in their lessons. That particular chore is less boring, though Zhenya would rather be training in the yard or even listening to one of Seryozha’s many stories.

Zhenya supposes, in some ways after observing them, the children all have memorable qualities.

Katya goes about very opinionated until faced with either of the princes. She shrinks, which saddens Zhenya. He’s not considering her – he’s not – but if he was, he’d hope that she wouldn’t shy away from using her voice. He wants an equal partner, like his father. Katya would not offer that to him.

Lacey, likewise, as her brother is similar. They seem to be competing with each other. Zhenya has never heard either sibling speak ill of the other, still, Zhenya is not interested even as that quality has earned a note of Zhenya’s respect. He has no interest in separating siblings from one another.

Liza very determined in her lessons, though she dislikes instruction. Zhenya and Denis share a little chuckle over it in the beginning. It becomes old quickly. She doesn’t have the temperment fit for a future queen. He tells Denis this and somehow becomes scolded for it.

“She’s a child.”

“Precisely why this search is pointless,” Zhenya insists.

Denis watches the young girl start a fire on the hem of Ilya’s robe. “They won’t be children forever.”

A set of twins interest Zhenya a little. It’s their uniqueness that gains his attention. Zhenya hasn’t met many so their similarities fascinate him. The twins are always together, but that makes their differences show all the more. Smart as they may be, one is always smarter and their squabbles are frequent until Ilya separates them.

A few northern children catch Zhenya’s eye during their lessons. They’re more intelligent than the southern guests. They’re also more comfortable, as the north is their home, but they oftentimes come off cocky and Zhenya dislikes that. Especially when he sees their change of face whenever Denis walks through the room.

_ They must be interested in the power that comes with marrying a prince _ , Zhenya thinks, not that he blames them for their mindset. They’re probably not the only ones.

Sidney – Zhenya learns the southern boy’s name, the one who caught his eye the first day – is the most proficient magic user of the bunch. It both means while Ilya is not required to assist him in basic tasks, the man is always watching over Sidney. Magic is good and pure, but anything can be corrupted. Zhenya doesn’t think Sidney has that capability, though with how uneducated the boy is, he supposes that his naivety could persuade him without fully understanding the extent of his actions.

Briefly, Zhenya wonders if his father will send Sidney home even if he’s not chosen. His magic seems much too strong to go unattended.

But of course, Zhenya has to shake himself. No one will be chosen. Not even Sidney Crosby, of little Cole Harbor.

All the children must be sent back home.

 

*

 

“I’m doing this for you,” Denis complains.

Zhenya listens to the children try to read. They all stumble over their words. None of them seem to realize they’ve all been given the same passage to read. Either that or none of them can remember the words spoken aloud long enough to pretend that they’re reading from the given parchment.

“I did not ask for you to do this,” Zhenya replies.

Ilya clears his throat loudly, not looking at the bickering princes.

Embarrassed, Zhenya drinks from his cup. Denis snorts.

Sidney begins to read, slow and unsure. He sounds out the words carefully, missing the tricky silent letters. One of the twins laughs beneath her breath. Irrationally, Zhenya feels a growl rise in his throat.

Afraid, Sidney stops short. He looks at Zhenya with a hint of shock and fear. The girl very much does the same, her sibling looking between them as if Zhenya would pick a row with a little girl.

“Zhenya,” Seryozha says to get the prince’s attention. He steps in front of Sidney, blocking the boy from Zhenya’s view.

Hastily, Zhenya stands. He makes a quick getaway from the small makeshift classroom. He peels off his clothes, handing them to a stableboy. He runs through the woods in his bear form until night falls and Ilya retrieves him.

 

*

 

“I didn’t mean to scare you,” Zhenya apologizes. He pushes a small plate of finger cakes across the small table as a peace offering.

“You didn’t scare me,” the child lies.

Zhenya studies Sidney’s face. When the child keeps his hands folded neatly in his lap, Zhenya sighs. It makes the boy flinch. Zhenya’s stomach coils in disgust.

“Have some, please,” he insists, reaching across to place two little chocolate cakes onto the boy’s plate.

Perhaps it was presumptuous the boy has a sweet tooth or maybe he dislikes the taste of chocolate. Hesitantly, Sidney mumbles a small thank you and bites from the cake using his fingers despite a set of perfectly good silverware sitting on the table.

They haven’t yet gotten to table manners yet, Zhenya supposes.

“Is it good?” he asks the boy.

Shyly, looking up through his lashes, Sidney nods. Warmth blooms through the prince’s chest.

Zhenya sends the boy off with the rest of the dessert – the plate included in haste, then goes riding into town to clear his head. Anything to get away for a little while.

When he returns, he ignores the knowing smirk from his brother.

 

*

 

The garden used to be his mother’s, then she passed, and the duty was passed along to several different hands. There are many things to be done in keeping a kingdom running and a garden, even despite the king’s orders, is not a high priority.

Sometimes, Zhenya likes to go out to the garden and sit beneath his mother’s favorite tree. She would read him and Denis stories and sing them soft lullabies when nothing else could put them to sleep. Truly he misses her. When he was younger, he couldn’t possibly see living without her. Her magic made her seem invincible, but there was no remedy to fix the illness that took her.

All that’s left now are the books upon books of research Ilya put together in an attempt to cure her and her garden.

Despite being aware of the bond’s pull, Zhenya is surprised to see a sleep rumbled Sidney wander into the garden. Surely, either Ilyusha or Seryozha put the children to bed not long ago. They’ve been given free roam of much of the castle’s grounds, not that any of them have been brave enough to take it.

“Are you lost?” Zhenya asks.

The boy startles, nearly jumping out of his skin. “N-No.”

“Can’t sleep?”

Sidney warily nods.

His honor is being tested, Zhenya thinks. He won’t give in, no, but he can’t stop the bond and its call. 

He doesn’t want to.

 

*

 

Sidney is much too skinny.

Zhenya waits for Sidney on the same bench, treats in hand, always for lunch. It’s hard sneaking around the castle right under the nose of the king, but Seryozha – a mostly unwilling participant in Denis’s plan – keeps quiet.

Sidney likes breads and cakes the most. He likes to slather bread with butter and blushes under every moment of praise, be it from Zhenya or Seryozha or Ilya. The boy seems not to be familiar with compliments, which only makes Zhenya want to shower him with more. That gives Denis a good laugh, though his older brother never mentions the soulbond.

Zhenya can read his brother well enough to know what was left unsaid.

“I don’t want to take him from his home,” Zhenya confesses sadly.

Denis looks at the children all trying to conjure a flower, an offering meant for him. “You’re considering it now, are you?”

“No,” Zhenya says firmly. “I can’t.”

“But you want to. It’s okay. It’s merely tradition,” Denis says calmly.

“I don’t like this tradition.”

“Stop trying to be a good man, Zhenya. His parents sent him here. Do you think your heart will be able to accept sending him back?”

“Would Mother approve of our tradition?” Zhenya asks instead.

Denis sighs. “Mother, too, participated in this tradition. Our father chose her, remember?”

 

*

 

Whereas Sidney gives Denis a single rose, Zhenya receives a whole bouquet.

The prince thanks the boy, looking at his soulbond partner. Zhenya wonders if Sidney can feel it too. The pull. The little itch to be close to one another. Sometimes it seems like Sidney seeks Zhenya out, but after a quite confession, poor Sidney believes that Denis hates him.

Well, maybe not hate. But for all the affection Zhenya has allowed himself to show, he can’t help but still have reservations. Denis is encouraging and Seryozha is long suffering. Both of them have been trying to convince him that Zhenya’s draw to Sidney is inevitable. To an extent, Zhenya has started to believe that himself as well.

He can’t imagine Sidney anywhere else but in the north with him, but Sidney believes it’s near his time to go home.

Home, Zhenya wants to tell him, is here in the north by his side.

Then comes the day where Sidney waits to be escorted out. Zhenya hears that the boy had been waiting all day to be taken out. His small bag of things were packed and underneath the big coat he had sewn together in his lessons, he wears his summer clothes.

Zhenya’s heart pounds seeing the boy approach him, guided by Seryozha. 

Properly, he gets down on one knee, dressed fancily in his royal garbs. He offers his hand to the boy, who takes it, feeling cold. Surely, Zhenya’s first act as Sidney’s betrothed will be to clothe him properly.

When he looks at the boy, Zhenya knows he wants to protect him. He wants Sidney under his wing where he can be watched over properly by Seryozha and Ilya. Where he can be kept fed and warm. Where Zhenya can take care of all his desires.

The pull the bond provides is so much more than a primitive thing indeed.

 

* * *

* * *

 

Zhenya often feels a desire toward Sidney he tamps down. He’s an adult while Sidney is still a child. They are engaged but he would never lay an unwanted hand on the boy. They’ll hold hands and he’ll kiss Sidney’s cheek and always with the supervision of Ilya or Seryozha. He’s not afraid that, in being alone, he’d act on his sexual instincts, but Zhenya thinks Sidney finds comfort in the older men.

For that Zhenya is glad. He trusts Seryozha and Ilya with his life. Of course, he would want Sidney to soon feel the same.

“He’s growing up nicely,” Denis notes when Sidney is fifteen and growing into a handsome young  _ man _ , no longer a boy.

“He is,” Zhenya agrees.

“Imagine,” Denis teases, “if your betrothed grew up ugly. Is that why you were so opposed to the applicants being children?”

“Of course not!” Zhenya protests.

Denis laughs. His wife is now pregnant. Their father, while still bitter about the betrayal in his own castle, has softened at the news of having a grandchild on the way. Zhenya is surprised their father hasn’t spent every penny the castle has in preparing a ward just for the baby.

“Has Seryozha given him the talk yet?”

“About what?” Zhenya asks.

Sidney is quite busy. He’s managed to conjure a bowerbird for the garden. There was a recent bug infestation and after pouring over the books in the library, Sidney found that birds may be beneficial to getting rid of critters. The bird, made out of Sidney’s magic, is quite fond of Sidney, always flying about and trying to perch on his shoulder.

Although mostly endearing, sometimes its presence gets in the way of little tasks, such as the cross stitch Sidney has been pouring over.

“You know,” Denis says, waving his hand in the air. “You must remember the talk Seryozha gave us. About the carnal –”

“Enough!” Zhenya cuts in. Heat rises to his cheeks. He avoids looking at his brother, feeling thirsty. He resists immediately reaching for his tea in fear of seeming guilty of something.

Sidney looks up from his project, puzzled at his betrothed’s outburst.

“You must have thought about it some,” Denis says.

“I shouldn’t,” Zhenya argues weakly.

“You can have desires.”

“It’s unbecoming.”

Denis laughs at Zhenya’s conflict. “While I understand Zhenya, how long do you plan to wait? Do you think Sidney will want to?”

Zhenya doesn’t know.

 

*

 

The wedding is postponed. Sidney is sixteen and eligible to be wed, but Zhenya is comfortable with their arrangement. Denis looks on knowingly, saying nothing.

“Sidney looks ready, does he not?” Seryozha asks when he should be elsewhere.

Zhenya thinks about the last kiss he shared with Sidney. His future husband is no longer shy in nature when it comes to Zhenya.

“I suppose,” Zhenya hedges.

“Yet you still hesitate,” Seryozha observes.

“Have you been talking to Denis?”

“I don’t have to.” Seryozha sits beside Zhenya. The gardens should be cold at this time of year, but whenever Sidney is near, it’s always warm so the flowers can bloom. Zhenya isn’t sure how Sidney does it and not even Ilya’s books can explain. “If I recall correctly, Sidney has no reservations in telling you no.”

Zhenya lets out a small laugh.

“Are you waiting for him or are you waiting for yourself?” Seryozha asks.

“Do I get a say?” Zhenya asks.

“You  _ are _ the prince.”

 

*

  
Zhenya and Sidney finally get married on Sidney’s  _ seventeenth _ name day in the morning when the air is still crisp. Their kiss is kept chase in the presence of an audience, but all Zhenya sees is Sidney.


End file.
